(57) A process is disclosed for preparing a metal body 20 via metal powder molding techniques.
First and second component parts (31, 41) are conventionally injection molded from
a metal powder molding material. The first component part (31) is molded to have an
ultrasonic energy director surface (32, 33, 34), which may be, for example, a rib
having a triangular cross section. In accordance with the disclosed process, the first
and second component parts (31, 32) then are ultrasonically welded to form a green
assembly (50), and this green assembly (50) is debound and sintered in accordance
with conventional metal powder molding techniques to form a metal body. The metal
body thus formed will be hermetically sealed along the ultrasonic weld. The process
of the invention thus may be employed in the preparation of metal objects that require
a hermetic seal, such as fluid flow nozzles, pressure vessels, and the like.
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